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Photos Under Your Keyboard's Keys (Warning: Not for the squeamish)

Discussion in 'General' started by TheMusician, 18 Jan 2010.

  1. TheMusician

    TheMusician Audio/Tech Enthusiast/Historian

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    Today I took my camera and explored the dark underworld of my spacebar.

    A close-up
    [​IMG]

    Spacebar Square, during rush hour.
    [​IMG]

    An aerial shot of Spacebar Valley
    [​IMG]

    I think it's time for some cleaning...
     
  2. capnPedro

    capnPedro Hacker. Maker. Engineer.

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    Nice macro shots!

    I bet mine's messier, but G15s are a right pain in the hole to take apart.
     
  3. Furymouse

    Furymouse Like connect 4 in dagger terms

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    Is that a piece of popcorn? If it is, was it still fresh enough to eat? :D
     
  4. C-Sniper

    C-Sniper Stop Trolling this space Ądmins!

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    I hereby rate your keyboard's nutritional value at the equivalent of 2 bags of crisps
     
  5. FuzzyOne

    FuzzyOne

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    ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
     
  6. The_Beast

    The_Beast I like wood ಠ_ಠ

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    mine has nothing under it's keys


    you're is ichy
     
  7. Burnout21

    Burnout21 Mmmm biscuits

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    dare you to lick it
     
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  8. andrew8200m

    andrew8200m Multimodder

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    Indeed they are mate! I had to take mne apart as it was utterly gross! Took me 30 mins to put it back together though... proper filthy!

    Andy
     
  9. veato

    veato I should be working

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    Jesus thats bad
     
  10. PureSilver

    PureSilver E-tailer Tailor

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    Where I come from we call that 'hand salsa' and the solution is a vacuum cleaner and Blu-tak, or a swift rinse in the dishwasher followed by a coupla days' drying. That or a new keyboard, depends upon what you paid for whatever that is.
     
  11. gnutonian

    gnutonian What's a Dremel?

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    You've inspired me to have a close-up look at my keyboard tomorrow. I clean the (top of the) keys regularly, but there's nothing like breakfast whilst reading the online news!

    I also suggest this topic should become a haven of tips for cleaning your keyboard without taking every key off (or every other key for your smart-arses :p) or putting it in the dishwasher. Do, for example, those "air-spray" cans really work?

    I don't get the Blu-tak idea - or are you supposed to take the keys off with this idea? I've got huge hands, small keys, and a temper - I'll smash the keyboard before even lifting the fifth key.
     
  12. PureSilver

    PureSilver E-tailer Tailor

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    To clean a keyboard meaninfully, you have to take the keys off. They come off easy, don't worry. Stick a penknife blade or similar, and lever until it just pops off. Takes about half a second a key; don't forget to take a photo first so you know how they go back together again. Start at one edge with a 'little' key - the space, return, enter etc keys are usually more complex and have wire reinforcement that you should do last.

    To clean it the dry way, hoover it with a brush attachment to loosen the loose stuff, then get blu-tak and rub it in the corners to pick up the little bits. A pricer alternative to blu-tak is this green goo stuff (Cyber-Clean, maybe) that does the same thing. That said, if you've got a white keyboard I recommend the dishwasher method, it's faster and more thorough.
     
  13. null_x86

    null_x86 Thread Closer

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    Yay for Laptop style keyboards :D Apple Keyboard Cheesecake. I dont have the OPs issue anymore.
     
  14. Bede

    Bede Minimodder

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    If you don't look you don't know what's growing there. Applies to everything from the gaps between your toes, cheese and keyboards. Remember children: don't ever look :p
     
  15. julianmartin

    julianmartin resident cyborg.

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    lol, pubes.
     
    October likes this.
  16. gnutonian

    gnutonian What's a Dremel?

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    Ah, I get it now. Still not a fan of removing the keys, though - mainly laziness and the fact that I have a flat, "laptop-style" keyboard. I recently removed my F key because it was acting up (something got underneath it, I think) and it was a complete bitch to put back. I'm not going through that 100+ times - I might as well just load up and position my shotgun in my mouth in advance; as suicide is the only solution to cleaning a "laptop-style" keyboard.

    Having some days off work (yay for French employment law) and already planning to engage in a fight to the death with a light switch, I may consider lifting up a few keys to assess the damage though...!
     
  17. October

    October Mariachi Style

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    How old is that keyboard? Or how long since it's been cleaned at least...
     
  18. 500mph

    500mph The Right man in the Wrong place

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    Tasty.
     
  19. null_x86

    null_x86 Thread Closer

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    Just have to post my keyboard in here...

    The culprit..
    [​IMG]

    Under the keyboard...
    [​IMG]

    The aerial shot
    [​IMG]

    as you can see, its perfectly clean, and nothing gets under these keys, because they are the laptop style keys, not the standard keyboard type
     
  20. dave_salmon

    dave_salmon What's a Dremel?

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    hahaha disgusting. I Don't feel bad at all about having to hoover mine now! Although mine is covered in various GW-paint washes and looks like I've been using it to eat my food....
     

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